Toy.



No.v 791,769.

Patented June 6, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE. v

FREDERICK GARREOHT, OF IDAHO CITY, IDAHO.

TOY.

SPECIFIQATION forming part of Letters Fatemi', No. 791,769, dated. June y6, 1905. Application filled April 28, 1904:. Serial No. 205,283.

To au whom t may con/cern.-

vBe it known that I, FREDERICK GAREEGHT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Idaho City, in the county of Boise and State of Idaho, have invented a new and Improved Toy, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates toa class of toys1 wherein an object is loosely held on a support and receives a rocking movement on said support from the joint action of gravity and the peculiar form of the support, and has for its object to provide a toy of the character indicated having novelV details of construction which are very simple, inexpensive, and quite amusing, two grotesque figures receiving 1ntermedlate twIrlIng and rocking movements inafter described, and dened in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying` drawings, forming a part of this specification, 1n which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

row .fr in Fig. 1.

details shown in Fig. 2.A Fig. 4 isian enlarged partly-sectional side viewof parts of the toy,

-showing the engagement of the tilting bar.

with the motor-bar at a point indicated by ar- Fig. 5 is a partly-sectional plan view substantially on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a sideview of a pedestal-block that may be employed for supporting the motor-bar in an uprightv position.

The motor-bar 10, which is of novel `Avconstruction, is formed,-preferably, of a strip of metal having parallel edges and proper thickness to insu re its stability in service. A novel featu re` consists in the formation of alternating spirally-twisted members a andtransverse flutes or corrugations b throughout the length of the motor-bar 10. Any suitable number' the ends of the motor-bar.

'of the alternating-spiral members and luted members may be employed. Usually three 'spiral members c are formed on the bar 10- one spiral member at each end of the bar and oneat its longitudinal center-and preferably `'the spiral twist of the bar at its central portion is in an opposite direction from that given to the, spiral formations a at and near The twisted members a may be of any available degree of coarseness or pitch preferred and have any suitable length. -At the inner terminations of the end spirals @and central spiral a said twists merge gradually into the first corruga tionor transverse flute so that the transition is not abrupt, this construction being clearly shown in Fig. 1.

A At each end of the motor-bar 10 a ring 10 may be loosely secured, the use of which will "be hereinafter explained.

.A tilting bar 11, preferably formed of a straight strip of metal having proper length, is 'provided that at its centeroi length is formed with a transverse slot o. The transverse sides 'of the slot c are produced by the tubular members o', that are secured in an elongation ofthe slot c, as indicated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, so that said sides of the central slot c are, in fact, two cylinders equal with each other in diameterand length. Thel space or width of the slot c is such as to permit the loose insertion ofthe motor-bar 10 therethrough and permit the free spiral traverse of the tilting bar o n either of the spiral formations a when engaged4 therewith and the motor-bar is upright.l

Upon each end of the 'tilting bar 11 a kgrotesque figure 12 is loosely mounted. These figures, that may be altered in design from that shown, as represented are imitations of clowns and appear to be seated upon opposite ends of the bar. For the proper operation of the toy the figures 12 must be ,of equal weight andare pivoted near their middle portions upon pivotpins,such as d,(shown for one figure in the View 1,) and it is furthermore essential that the preponderance of weight be represented by the legs of the figures, so that they will always hang pendent or below the tilting bar.

As' shownclearly in Fig. 4, the transverse iiutes are in the form of segments of equal circles, wherein the tubular members of the slot c will iit loosely, which will permit the tilting bar to have a considerable range ot' .rocking movement when the motor-bar 10 is bar 11 is at one end of the motor-bar, the latter is held upright by hand either by holding the upper ring alone or engaging a finger on each hand with a respective ring. The tilting bar being of equal weight at each side of the motor-bar, it will assumea level position and by its gravity will descend the upper spiral formation a, the corkscrew twist ot said formation giving' a rotary and spiral motion to the descending bar 11, the relative position of the tilting bar being indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. When the tilting bar 11 has reached the lower end of the uppermost spirally-twisted member t in a level condition, the transverse slot c will be engaged by the uppermost connecting member on the undulating or transversely-Huted section b of the motor-bar. The tilting bar will now have one tubular member c' at the side of the transverse slot c therein engaged with the uppermost concavity in the tluted member As the transverse slot c permits a slight play of the motor-bar therein, the contact of the tubular member c on one side of the engaged Corrugation will temporarily arrest the tilting bar, and the gravity of the bar and figure thereon at the side of the slot that is free causes said end portion of the tilting bar to rock downward and the slightly-shorter end portion upward, as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, the space or unoccupied portion of the slot c, which gives slightly increased length and weight to the descending bar member, being shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It will be evident that after the tilting bar has rocked into an inclined position the extent of such a rocking movement will be determined by the contact of the lowe'rmost tubular member c with the transverse flute or corrugation 7; next below the one occupied by the uppermost tubular member, this engagement being clearly shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. When the tilting bar has assumed the maximum degree of inclination that has been explained, the seating ot` the lower tubular member c/ on the transverse iiute or corrugation first below the one in which the upper tubular member is located will aford a momentary support to the tilting bar, which will adapt the upper tubular member c and the bar member that projects therefrom to rock downward and the lower member of the tilting bar to rock upward, thus giving an opposite inclination to said tilting bar.

1t will be seen that the operation which has been described, which effects the rocking movement ot' the tilting bar lirst in one direction and then in an opposite direction, will in a like manner be successively repeated until the tilting bar has in a seesaw manner descended the corrugated or uted portion of the motor-bar that is above the central spiral member thereof. The tilting bai-11 by its gravity will now drop upon the uppermost turn of the central spiral member (t and assume a level position, the gradual twist of said turn or spiral curve causing an initial spiral and descending movement of the tilting bar 11, which will be continued until the lower series of flutes is reached, and it will be noticed that as the trend of the spiral twistgiven the middle spiral member of the motor-bar is in a direction opposite from that had by the upper and lower spiral members the direction of rotation will be correspondingly changed. The traverse downward of the tilting bar 11 on the second or lower tluted member oi the motorbar 10 is-substantiall y the same as that already described for the upper tluted member thereof, and when the lower end of the iiuted member last traversed is reached by the tilting bar l1 it will assume a level position, due to the engagement of each tubular member c with opposed surfaees on the spiral formation it now engages with and down which the tilting bar will descend in a spiral track. It will be seen that the vfigures 12 will be swung in a spiral path rapidly when the tilting bar 11 descends either of the twisted formations a and will suddenly be rocked up and down when moving down the corrugated formation thus giving an appearance ot' comic distress and helplessness to the grotesque clowns that is very amusing. After the tilting bar has fully descended the motor-bar 10 the latter may be turned endwise, so as to transfer the tilting bar to an upper position, whereupon the twirling and seesawing movement of the tilting bar 11 and figures 12 thereon will be repeated, and the same may be continued indeiinitely by the periodic changing of the ,motor-bar, so as to dispose its ends alternately uppermost. As the iigures 12 are rcspectively pivoted on the ends of the tilting bar, so that they will have greater weight in their legs, it will be evident that upon rcversing the ends ot' the motor-bar while the tilting bar is in position thereon the ligures 12 will at once assume proper positions on the tilting'v bar by reason of their turning a half-revolution etfected by their legs assuming a pendent position.

In Fig. 6 a base-block 18 is shown having a socket e in its upper end, said socket being shaped to neatly receive the ends of the motor-bar lO. When the base-block is used, the

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rings 10 are dispensed with andthe straight ends of the motor-bar thus adapted for in-v sertion in the socket e, which engagement; alternately of the ends of the motor-bar will maintain the motor-bar erect for a descent of the tilting bar, as already described, the reversal 'in position of the motor-bar effecting a continuation. of the 'mechanical movement of the tilting ,bar and the figures thereon for any `length of time desired.

It is to be noted that the provision of the tubular members c' for the transverse slot c in the tilting bar 11 and the slightly-increased width given to the slot c are important novel features that adapt the toy to operate positively either when the tilting bar traverses the spiral or the fluted portions of the motor-bar.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent;

l. The combination with a fiat motor-bar, having a spiral formation and a fluted formation, arranged in sequence, of a centrally-slotted tilting bar mounted on the motor-bar,- andadapted to descend by gravity over said spiral and fiuted formations to cause said tilter-barplurality of spiral sections throughout its length, spaced apart and twisted in different directions, and fiuted sections connecting the spiral sections, a centrally-slotted tilting bar mounted upon the motor-bar and adapted to descend thereupon by gravity, the tilting bar by successive engagement with the spiral formations and the iiuted formations, alternately twirling, rocking and twirling, the twirling, being sometimes in one'direction and sometimes in the other, as by gravity the tilting bar is caused to descend the motor-bar.

4. The combination with a motor-bar hav-y ing alternate spiral formations and fluted formations thereon, the spiral formations being successively twisted first in one direction and then inthe other and means for supporting the motor-bar upright', of a tilting bar having a transverse central slot therein through which the motor-bar passes, and afigure held to rock cis on each end of the tilting bar, the tilting bar and figures receiving alternate twirling and rocking movements as the tilting bar slides down over the spiral and fluted formations. v

5. In a toy of the character described, al tilting bar having a central transverse slot therein, the sides of the slot being portions of cylindrical members mounted transversely on the tilting bar parallel with each other,'and a motor-bar having a plurality of spiral sections and-fiuted sections,l the iiuted sections being composed of a series of curved sections, the curvature of said sections being approximately equal to the curvature of thecylindrical memtilting bar to move downwardly upon the motor-bar.

7. In a device of the character described a tilting bar having a central opening therein and parallel cylindrical members mounted transversely in said opening and spaced from each other to form an intervening slot, and a motor-bar passing through said slot and having fiuted formations composed of curved'sections of a radius equal to the radius of said cylindrical sections of the tilting bar.

8. In atoy of the character described, atilting bar havingacentral transverse slot therein, the sides of the slot being portions of cylindrical members mounted transversely on the tilting bar parallel with each other. thev diameter of said cylindrical Ymembers being large in comparison to the width of the slot between them, and a motor-bar having a plurality of spiral sections and iuted sections, the iiuted sections being composed of a series ofl curved sections, the curvature of said sections being approximately equal to the curvature of the cylindrical members of the tilting bar, andthe width of the slot between said cylindrical members being less than the radius of said members and said curved sections.

9. In atoy ofthe character described, a motor-bar formed of fiat material and having a plurality of alternating spiral formations spaced from each other and fluted formations between the spiral formations, said uted formations extending transversely in different directions.

l0. In a toy of the character described, a motor-bar formed of flat material, and having a IOO plurality of alternating spiral and {iuted for- IZO whereby it is adapted to loosely engage said motor-bar'to move downwardly thereupon,

said spiral sections of the motor-bar being alternately twisted in opposite directions to innpart alternating twirling movements to said tilting bar as it moves downwardly on the motor-bar, whereby to retard the descent of the tilting bar.

12. In a toy of the character described, a Hat motor-bar provided with a plurality of sections of spiral formation connected together by sections of a different formation, and a tilting bar havingatransverse slot adapted to loosely engage said motor-bar to adapt the tilting bar to move downwardly upon the motor-bar and to be twirled as it passes over thefspiral' sections, and to have its movement varied as it descends over the intervening sections whereby to prevent an accelerating twirling movement of the tilting bar and thereby retard its descent upon the motor-bar.

Inv witness whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK GA RRECI-I T.

Witnesses:

CHAs. E. J oN11s J oHN E. RIORDAN. 

